After a year’s long hiatus due to Covid restrictions, Wānaka’s Beerfest returns to the Wānaka showgrounds tomorrow (Saturday December 3).

Around 1,900 tickets have been sold for the annual event which will feature the return of some favourite breweries, food stalls and entertainment, as well as the introduction of some new offerings.

Festival organisers Ollie Harcus, Sarah Parkinson, Georgia Bullock and James Julian have attracted a range of stallholders to provide a wide variety of options for festival goers.

James said while he expects the brewery stallholders will present their favourites on tap as well as different variations of their beers, there will also be a number of other products from wine to cocktails, spirits to ginger beer.

In 2019 the festival was relocated to Three Parks after the regular showgrounds site was flooded just before the event.

Local vineyard Two Paddocks will attend for the first time providing an opportunity to try organic wine, James said.

A wide range of food will also be available: returning to the festival will be primo mobile caterers Morsel and Francesca’s and, for the first time, The Wanaka ‘Wich Project.

“Come for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” James said.

Also new to the festival is the Dunedin-based Julian Temple Band, alongside Albert Town’s Cheap Thrills which is “pumped for the gig”.

In 2019 the festival had to be relocated at the eleventh hour to a site in Three Parks due to heavy rain flooding the original showgrounds site.

James said it was nice to have the festival back at the showgrounds. The lakeside location gave off a picnic vibe and was close to town so people could walk to the event, and the forecast was looking good.

While the event had not yet reached its capacity, 1,900 tickets sold was “a nice number”, he said.

“We don’t really want to be a big commercial operation. It’s more about people coming together to enjoy local produce; it embodies our relaxed approach and desire to have a nice day out.”

Now in its sixth year, the annual event is traditionally held at the start of summer in December but when Covid restrictions made that impossible last December, the 2021 event was postponed to April this year. 

However as April approached, the organisers couldn’t rely on the Covid restrictions changing in their favour so it was decided to cancel April and focus on December 2022.

Ticket holders were offered a full refund, James said, and around 30 per cent claimed refunds.

With 70 per cent already signed up, the remaining tickets sold quickly, he said.

James said he and his fellow organisers were also trying to get an annual beer week event happening so that Wānaka can become more of a destination for great food and beverages.

“It's in its early stages but we would like to have events, specials and generally try to replicate the likes of Melbourne Beer Week which is a huge thing in Oz.”

He acknowledged it was an ambitious initiative but reckoned “with the help of local businesses it would work well”.

Wānaka Beerfest begins at 12 noon on Saturday and runs until 6:30pm.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App